Converter plant



I A. e. McGREGOR.

CONVERTER. PLANT. APPLICATION FILED AUG.26, 1926.

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HEADER.

F'LUE ATTORNEYS A. G. McGREGOR.

CONVERTER PLANT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26, 1920.

Patented May 30, 1922.

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BY 1 /L4 ATTORNEYS A. G. McGREGOR. CONVERTER PLANT; APPLICATION HLED, AUG-26, 1920.

. Patented May 30,1922.

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A. G. McGREGOR.

CONVERTER PLANT.

APPLICATION HL'ED AUG-26, 1920.

Patented May 30, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- ll Ni starits ears ALEXANDER GRANT MoGREGOR, OF wiiaanmiiarzoua.

CONVERTER PLANT.

Specificationof Letters Patent. Patented lvlay 30,

Application filed August 2% 1920. Serial No. 406,119. I

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER G. M0- GREGOR, a citizen of the United States residing at lVarren, in the county of Cochise and btate of Arizona, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Converter Plants, of which the folfurnace, known as a converter, said converter.

being provided with tuyeres, by means of which air can be blown through the molten matte, and having an opening or spout which, during the operation of the converter, is turned upwardly, but which, afterthe operation, may be turned downwardly in order to discharge the contents of the converter. Coppermatte usually COIltttlDSfl'OlD 25% to 5.0% metallic copper, depending upon the nature of the ore smelted, the other elements being sulphur and iron.

-The air blown in through the tuyeres of the converter passes up through the molten. matte, slag, etc., producing very dense sulphur fumes. In order to. dispose of these fumes, a hood, communicating with a stack 1 flue, is usually located over the converter spout when the latter is turned upwardly, but as there is more or less warping and unevenness in the converter shell, and as accumulations of slag are likely to form in the hood and on the converter shell, it is impossible to make this hood fit very tightly over the shell while at the same time permitting the rotation of the converter, a clearance of three inches or more being usually necessary in practice. If there is not much draft in the hood, a great deal of the sulphur gas will therefore escape into the building in which the plant is located, while if there is an excess of draft in the hood, a considerable amount of outside air is drawn into the hood alongwvith the gases from the converter, diluting and cooling said gases. If the latter are to be discharged from the stack directly into the atmosphere, such dilution and cooling is not objectionable, but when, in accordance with the coming practice, the sulphur fumes are to be saved for the purpose of making liquid sulphur dioxide, sulphuric acid, or other by-product, it is desirable to maintainthese gases in as conv one object the "escaping and may be delivered plant employing Centmted form a possible, and hat anecessarycooling be avoided The present nvention accordingly has for provision of means whereby the sulphur fumes from a converter ofthe type above described may be prevented from to an acid or other p said means comprising device's for substan-. between the hood and tially closing the space the converter shell, so as'to reduce leakage of air through said space, while permitting the free rotation of the converter. 7

From time to time inthe operation of the ant in which they are to be utilized i I with as little dilution and cooling as possible, I I

rotary or tilting converter it is necessary to;

turn the converter spout order to 'skim off the slag. Also the con verter is turned into the position last, re ferred to in order to receive a charge of part wayi'down in a matte and is turned with its spout in'the lowermost position in order to dischargeth'e resultant product.

Inorder thus to turn the. converter spout from its uppermostto aj 10wcred or partly lowered position, and vice versa, it is necessary that the devices last referred to be of such the converter spout'to ferred form of the'invention, being accomplished by so constructing the. devices in a nature as to permit pass, this, in the prequestion that a suitable portion thereof may be withdrawn into an inoperative position at the proper time. ,W hen this is done leakage of outside air into thehood is not prevent-ed, and, particularly in the case era, Y

with an inoperative converter be" placed out a plurality of converter of communication with said flue, whileper-Q mittinga greater or less amount of draft therethrough in order toprevent escape of fumes.

The invention has therefore foranother' object the provision of-a: converter plant, f preferably a plant comprising a plurality." of converters provided with hoods all communicating with a common acid flue, said plant having means whereby the fumes from the converter, or any of them, or the gases drawn through a converter hood, if unsuitable for discharge intothe acid line, may readily be diverted therefrom. and otherwise disposed of.

The foregoing and other objects of the iii-' vention, together with 'means whereby the shown in 2, looking same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of one form or embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the particular construction and arrangement described and shown has been chosen for illustrative pur poses merely, and that the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise practiced without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For convenience the invention is herein described with referenceto its application to the conversion of copper matte, but it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that its utility is not limited to the reduction of this particular metal, but that it may be employed in the refining of other metals wherever a similar process is applicable.

In said drawings:

Fig.1 is an end elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a complete converter plant. V

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, of two of the converter units of such a plant.

Fig, 3 is a side elevation of the parts from the left in the latter figure.

Fig. lis an enlarged end elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a portion of the converter and the adjacent portions or the hood.

Fig. 5 is anenlarged detail section taken substantially. on the line 5 5, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig. i.

As herein shown, the complete plant coinprises a plurality oi." cylindrical, rotary or tilting converters 10 arranged in axial aline-- ment, each of said converters comprising an inner shell 11 (Figs. 1. and 41:) having a refractory lining 12 .(Fig. 1), a cylindrical outer shell or apron 13 suitably spaced from sald inner shell, and in its side an opening or spout 14 leading from the interior of the lining 12 to the exterior of the apron 1-3, each of said converters being rotatable through a suilicient arc to permit its spout 14: to be moved between the upper or operative position, designated by theletter A in Fig.1, and the lower or discharge position, designated by the letter B in said figure, in which latter position the contents oi the converter may be discharged into a suitable ladle or other receptacle 15. ;Qnly two converters are herein shown, but it will be understood that they may be of any desired number. Suitable means are provided for rotating the converters, but neither such rotating means nor the precise details of con struction of the converters are shown herein,

as they are well known in the art, specifically form no portion of the present invention, and may be oi any usual or suitable :lorm;

Associated with and located. above each of the converter lOis a hood 16 having its lower end or mouth shaped substantially in conformity with the outer surface of the apron 13 and disposed about the converter spout 14: when the latter is turned into its upper or operative position A. Each of the hooks 16 communicates at its upper end with a chamber 18 from which a conduit 1'7 leads to a header flue 19, the latter communicating, through a suitable dust collector 20 or other apparatus usual in plants of this character, with a main flue 21 leading to the stack. Preferably, and as herein shown, there is interposed between the header flue '19and each of the conduits 17 a damper 22 having suit able fluid pressure or other operating means 23 of any well known form, whereby com munication between the several conduits and the header flue may be controlled.

The lower end Of each of the hoods 16, adjacent the corresponding converter 10, is formed at its sides and rear with a channelled flange 24 (see Figs. a to 6) which supports a series of segments or plates 25 formed at their upper ends with hooked flanges 26 having headings 27 adapted to rest in the channeled flange .251, and having curved lower ends 52 8 adapted to rest by gravity upon the outer shell or apron 18 of the converter. Theplates 25 are, placedin close proximity to one another and are oi such shape as substantially to close, the space between the converter apron 13 and lower edge the hood. at the sides and rear of said hood, while by reasonoi their loose support on the flange 24L and their gravity engagement with the apron 13 are free to move up and. down individually in order to permit I the passage thereunder of any irregularities of or upon the apron when such irregularities are brought into engagement with the curved lower ends 28 of said plates. j The space between the apron13 and thelower edge of the hood 1.6 at the forward side of said hood is closed, when the converter is in operation, by a gate 29 mounted for vertical sliding movement on "uides 30 {F 4-) on the forward side of the hood, isaid gate, when the converter is in operation, resting at its lower edge upon the apron 13, but being adapted to be opened 0 raised in order to facilitate the turning of the converter upon its axis. Any suitable means may be employedior raising and lowering the gate 29, said means as herein shown comprising a fiuid pressure cylinder 31 containing a piston 32 connected by a piston rod 33' and chain 34 or similar connector with the upper edge of the gate 29. I

It will be understood that, while the segments'or plates 25 and gate '29 do not form an absolutely air tight joint between the hood and converter shell, they serve efiectually to reduce the leakage of outside air to a negligible amount. By reason of the loose detachable connection of the segments or plates with the hood, they be readily I removed to facilitate the cleaning of accretions of slag from the apron and hood.

Communicating with each of the chambers 18 is a'conduit 35 Controlled by a damper 36 and leading to an acid flue 37 common to all of said conduits 35, said acid line being preferably provided with a clean out opening 38 closed by a suitable door 39, whereby matter accumulatin in said flue may be discharged into a suitable car or other receptacle l0. A current of air, flowing from the converters and toward the acid or other plant (not shown) in which the sulphur fumes are to be utilized,is maintained in the acid flue 37 by any suitable means, such, for example, as a fan blowertl. Each of the dampers 36 is provided with an operating arm 42 which is preferably connected, as by a chain 43, with the piston 32,'whereby when any gate 29 is opened the corresponding damper 36 will be closed, and vice versa. A suitable amount of slack is preferably providedin the chains 34 and 43 to'ensure a'complete closing of one of said members" before the other commences to' open, said slack being, if desired, con trolled by suitable take-up weights at "(Fig When all of the converters of the series are in operation, the gates 29 and dampers 22 controlling the header'flue are all closed, while the dampers 36 are all open. The spaces between the several converters and their respective hoods beingblosed by the segments or plates 25 and gates 29, the fumes from the "converter spouts 14; are

drawn, by the suction induced by the fan t1,

into the hoods16 and thence pass, through the chambers 18, conduits 35, and acid flue 37-, to the'acid or other plant, communication with the main fiue 2 1 and stack being closed by the dampers 22. l/Vhen for any reason it v is, desired to turn down a converter 10, the

piston 32 is operated, by theadniission of suitable motive fluid toits cylinder 31, to cause a movement of said piston in a direc tion firstto close the damper 36and there after to raise the gate 29. The corresponding damper 22 is at the same time opened. The raising of the gate 29 permits the con verter 10' to be turned forwardly, either to skim the slag from the matte, or for the purpose of'emptying or're-charging the converter. At this time the damper 36 closes communication between the hood 16 and the acid flue 37, while the openingof the damper 22 establishes communication between said hood and the main flue 21, so that air drawn into the hood is not permitted to enter the acid flue but is carried to the stack.

It will therefore be seen that by means of apparatus embodying the present invention.

' there is provided a" multiple unit converter plant wherein objectionable dilution and cooling of the fumes going to the acid or other plant is avoided and a stream of 'pr'ac tically uniform gas of the desired temperature and concentration maintained in the acid flue, wherein any converter unit may be rendered inoperative at proper times and turned into'the position for discharging, 1e charging, or other necessary operations without affecting the operation of the others or of the plant as a whole, and wherein the escape of fumes into, the building is entirely avoided, the latter result being accomplished,

when any gate 29 is opened and the correg spondmg converter turned into inoperative;

position, by the draft in the main fluea'nd stack, with which'the corresponding hood is, at'this time, in communication.

Having thus described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. The combination with a horizontally 35 disposed, tilting or rotary converter having in its side an opening or" spout, and a hood having a mouth disposed about said, spout when said converter is inoperative positiorjn operative position, of means for reducing leakage of air into said hood between the a same and said shell, said means being adapt ed to permit'the free rotation of said converter notwithstanding relatlve unevenness of said shell and hood, or accretions thereon. The combination with a horizontally disposed, tilting or rotary converter having its in its side an openingor spout, and va'hood having a mouth disposed about said spout when-said converter is; in operative position, of means having movable engagement with said converterand hood for closing the space lie between. the'same notwithstanding an un evenness on the adjacent surfaces of these parts due to accumulations of material;

a. They combmatlon with a rotary converter having a spout, and a hood having a mouth disposed about said spoutwhen said converter is in operative position, of means y 4 n the outer surface of said converter; said forclosing the space between said hood, and

means including a series of platesloosely supported by said hood-and resting by gravity upon the surface of said converter.

5; The combination witha rotary conrerter having a snout, and a hood having-a mouth disposed about said spout when said converter is in operative position, of means for closing the spacebetween said hood a'nd the outer surface ofsaid converter, said means including a series of plates loosely supported by'said hood and having curved lower ends resting by gravity upon the surface of said converter.

6. The combination with a rotary converter having a spout, and a hood having a mouth disposed about said spout when said converter is in operative position, of means for closing the space between said hood-and the outer surface oi said converter; said means including a series of plates hinged at their upper ends to said hood and resting by gravity upon the surface of said converter.

'4". The comblnation with a rotary converter having a spout, and a hood having a mouth disposed about said spout when said converter is in operative position, of a series of plates hinged at their upper ends to said hood and having curved lower ends resting by gravity upon the surface of said converter, said plates being disposed closely adjacent to one another.

'8. The combination with a rotary converter having a spout, and a hood having a mouth disposed about said spout when said converter is in operative position, said hood having at its lower end a channelled vflange, of a series of: plates disposed closely adjacent one another and havi' hooked upper ends engaging and supportedby said flange, said plates having curved lower ends resting by gravity upon the surface of said converter.

v '9. he combination with a rotary converter having a spout, and a hood having a mouth disposed about said spout when said converter is in operative position, of means for closing the space between said hood and the outer surface of said converter, said means including a series of plates loosely supported by said hood about the sides and back or the latter and, resting by gravity upon the surface of said converter.

, 10. The combination with a rotary con; verter having an outer sh ell and a spout, and a hood having a mouth spaced from said shell and disposed about said spout when said converter is in operative position, of means for reducing leakage of air into said hood between the same and said shell, said means including a series of plates loosely supported at their upper ends on said hood and resting at their lower ends upon said shell, whereby the lower ends or said plates are free to-move up and down as required by relative unevenness or said shell and hood oraccretions thereon when said converter is rotated. I

ll. The combination with a, rotary converter having an outer shell and a spout, and a hood having a mouth spaced from shell and disposed about said spout when said converter is in operative position, of means for reducing leakage of air into said hood between the same and said shell, said SEEleL supported at theirupper ends'on the sides and back of said hood andresting at their lower ends upon said shell, whereby the lower ends of said plates are freeto move up and down as required by relative unevenness of said shell and hood or accretions thereon when said converter is rotated.

12. The combinatiolrwith arotary converter having a spout, and a hood having a mouth disposed about said spout when said converter is in operative position, of a gate carried at thefront of said hood and adapted, when lowered, to engagethe outer surface of said converter, said gate being adapted to be raised to permit rotation-of said converter, and means for closing the space between said hood and the outer surface of said converter at the sides and back of said hood and adapted to permit rotation of said converter.

13.,The combination with a rotary converter having a spout, and a hood having a mouth disposed about said spout when said converter isinoperative position, of a series of plates loosely supported by said hood about thesides and back of the latter and resting by gravity upon the surface of saidshell and disposed about said spout when said converter is in operative position, said hood having at its lower end afchannelled flange disposed about its sides and back, of a series of plates disposed closely adjacent one another and having hooked upper ends engaging and supported by said flange, said plates having curved lower ends resting by gravity upon said converter shell and free to move up and down .as required by relative unevenness of said shell and hood or accretions therein when said converter is rotated, and a sliding gate carried at the front of said hood and adapted, when low ered, to engage said shell, said gate being adapted to be raised out of engagement with said shell when said converter is rotated.

15. A converter plant comprising, in combination, a plurality of tilting converters, a flue connected to receive gases from all of said converters, a second flue also connected to receive gases from all of said converters, and devices for independently controlling communication between the several conreceive gases from all of said converters, and

devices for independently controlling com naiasas municationf between the several converters and each of said flues.

17. A converter plant comprising, in com-.

bination, a plurality of converters, an acid flue connected to receive gases from all of said converters when the latter, are operat ing normally and producing relatively rich gases, a main flue connected to receive weak or dilute gases from all of said converters, a series of dampers adapted respectively to control communication between the several converters and said acid flue, and a second series of dampers adapted respectively to control communication between the'several' faces of said converters and adapted to per mit rotation of said converters, a pluralityof fines each connected to receive gases from all of said hoods, and devices for independently controlling communication between the several hoods and one of said flues.

19. A converter plant comprising, in combination, a plurality oi rotary converters, a plurality of hoods associated respectively with the several converters, a gate. carried by each of said hoods and adapted, when the corresponding converter is in operative position, to engage the outer surface of said converter, said gates being adapted to be raised to permit rotationv of said converters, a plurality of flues each connected to receive gases from all of said hoods, and dampers for independently controlling communication between the several hoods and one of said flues.

. 20. A converter plant comprising, in combination, a plurality of rotary converters, a plurality of hoods associated respectively with the several converters, a gate carried by each of said hoods and adapted, when the corresponding converter is in operative position, to engage the outer surface of said converter, said gates being adapted to be raised to permit rotationof said converters, a plurality of flues each connected to receive gases from all of said hoods, dampers for independently controlling communication be-.

tween the several hoods and one of said fines, and means for alternatively raising each of said gates and closing the corresponding damper, and vice versa.

21. A converter plant comprising, in combination, a plurality of rotary converters, a plurality of hoods associated respectively with the several converters, a gate carried at the front of each of said hoods and adapted, when lowered, to engage the outer surface of the corresponding converter, said gates beduit, and means for alternatively raising said gate and damper, respectively.

ing adapted to beraised to permit rotation I of saidconvertcrs, means for closing the space between each of saidhoods and the corresponding converter at thesides and back of the hood and adaptedto perr'nitrotationof the converter, a plurality offflues' each connected to receive gases fromall of said hoods, and devicesfor independently controlling communication between theasev-v eral hoods and one of said fines. y :22. A converter plantcomprising, in combination, Ia pluralityof converters, a php rality of'hoods associated respeot'ivelywith the several converters, an acid flue, aheader flue, a main flue communicating with said header flue, a series of conduits respectively connecting" the several hoods with said header flue, a series of dampers respectivelyv controlling communication between the sev-- eral conduits and said header flue, a second series of conduits respectively connecting the several hoods'with said acid flue, and a seoondseriesof dampers respectively controlling communication between the several conduits of said last-named series andthe cor responding, hoods. i 23. Ina converter plant, in combination, a rotary converter, a hood associated'therewith, a gate carried by-said hood and adapt-V ed to be closed or lowered into engagement with said converter, or to be opened or raised out of engagement therewith, a conduit lead- 1 ing from said hood, a damper controlling communication between said hood and consaid gateand closing said damper, and vice 24. In a converter-plant, in combination, i

a' rotary converter, a hoodassociatedtherewith, a gate carried by saidhood and adapted to be closed or lowered into engagement with said converter, or to be opened or raised out of engagement therewith, a conduit lead ing from said hood, a damper controlling" communication between said hood and con duit, and means for alternatively raising said gate and closing said damper, and vice'versa", said last-named means being constructed and arranged to fully closeone of said parts be-- fore commencing to open the other.

25. In a converter a rotary converter, a hood associated-therewith, a gate carried by said hood and adapted to be closed or lowered into engagement with said converter, or to be opened or raised plant, incombination,

out of engagement therewith, a conduit leading from said hood, a damper controlling communication between said hood and conduit, andmeans including a fluid pressure cylinder and piston for alternatively opening 26. In a converter plant, in combination, a rotary converter, a hood associated there-,

ed to beclosed or lowered into engagement .with, a gate carried by said hood and adaptwith said; converter, or to be opened or raised out of engagement therewith, a conduit lead ing from said hood, a damper controlling communication between said hood and con duit, a fluid PIBSSIHG cylinder, a piston therein, and chains or the like connecting said piston With said gate and damper whereby movement of said piston in opposite direc tions causes opening of said gate and damper respectively, said chains being; of sufiicient length to permit said gate to fully close before said damper commences to open,

and vice versa.

27,. In a converter plant, in combination, a rotary converter, a hood associated therewith for receiving fumes therefrom When said converter is in operation, a fine into which the fumes received by said hood are normally discharged, and means for diverting the gases in said hood from said flue when said converter is turned into an inoperative position While maintaining a draft through said hood.

in testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALEXANDER GRANT McGREGOR. 

